Piston ring expander



APY 2 1945- 1 P. F. zr-:TNlcK 2,397,900?

' PISTON RING EXPANDER Filed June 11, 194s i 2 sheets-sheet 1 April 2, 1946.

P. F. ZETNICK PIsToN RING EXPANDER Filed June 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www@ PA UL F. ZET/v/c/f /WMW Patented Apr. 2, 1946 E'S PTENT aracmeumzrV n .msmoNfmNG l Paul. n zetn'i'ck, Ciiiago, In?, iassign@ nnss@- ciatedS'pring Corporation, Bristol; Conn., a cor-- poration of `Delaware Bcianns.

Thsinventionzrelaies tmdonblez-actingzspring evices expand therrings of: steanengine pistons; both; radially v'andiaxially of?. lt'hef piston. Devices of. this;description;iare.knowng;b'eing1dis; closedi 'fori example; in, Biitish". Paizeni'f N o; t11,929 of-t1889, and; comprise in. generali a. ringformed of amurnbenoffhelicalcompression springs; which act; radially' of: the piston;V alternating: bar springs which' act axiallyf of thepistong. these springs:'being:comi'ectedybyfcoupling forks.;

It'V isY `the principal. obj ect ofi my:- inwentionzito provide a. device of the type described: having novel, improved. andifsimpliied'rmeans. for' connecting the? alternate, 'and' differenlyiact'ing springs whereby4A improved results? anesobtamedf and' intorchangea'biilityfofV parts is` achieved.

OIiherf objects' vandv features; of noveltyf foi' the y invention Will Yb'e imade apparent ,lcyftheSfoliowing` description andthef annexed? Adraw-ings='f-Wl1`iclaf,YLiri? willfhef understood, ares only illust-rativeffofs'the invention and impose f nol limit #thereon nots-im '-1 posed'by thetappendedclaims.

In th'ef drawings, in which` sinrrila1 Vreference*- mlmerals'and letters'refert'o likefpartS;

Fig.' 1 is'a partialplan.andfisectionalviewioifaL piston assembly' showing' anwexpander 'associatedf therewithwhich is constructed in" iaccoisiismcev vvithol'iisinvention;`

Eig; 2. is an elevation/f''parts-oftheassemblyA shown in Fig; 1, .being-"takenilalong fthe lineofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is afparti'al planrview shownin Fig; 1';

Fig. 4 is a apartialsidevi'ew of Athe'-expancferf-oilr` Fig. 3.;

Fig. 5571s la rsectional viewoff"avconnectingflblockf according-to the invention, .beingr` taken on line- 5-5of Fig. 4j;

of` che:v expanden modified formY of' axiallyactingA springY and a' m'odied for-m 'of couplin'gffork;

Fig. 7l is apartiallplan'vewfof' an ex-p'a-ni`er-"a-c-V cording tothe invention havingffa;modified'f'orrn` of axially-@acting spring andi a; niolliffed fnfrnffcifl connecting-block; i

Fig; 8 isv an elevation'oftheexpanderfillustrated in Fig;7E-antiVv l Figs. 9 and 10 are, respectivel'g'sle an'fifoni' view off-the connectingbmck' shown-fitr Figs: 7 and 8.

This invention providesy anew' andl iin-provea double-acting 'spring -expanderfffor thev pistonI rings of' stearni-engine pistons; Thefgen'eral as sembly'ofiparts'in Whi'h'fsucn expanders'iarefi-hcorporat'ed' -isf'illstraltediin'm'gsa 1fand2and-comf i iin-,.1 foppositevf'directixnsn:zaxiallyco the@ piston.: vall facing: ashapedftpaiitsnvhichrare integrali' con-- necked; ancommon'almitoffformftheidouble Seshapee'lesv'icensrrcxvvrr inlch'e drawings; yeacl'nend7 gfzoff 'bh-ee :bamfbeingmmed infthe; :plane of? whef nishedtspringnto movinezaemeansforconnecting; a-.helczaI springiirhereto'.D deniceewhiclr is soffonnredimayzcevkentxoui: offiitsz. original plne; toi-:thee curvature of the, pistoni-:and whenriteis( Received-a Avvithinn` thee-piston'. ring; groovei thereof.

it:is:plaoedsundereoompression axiallyof: th'efipisa tonnandamrigfhi: angles-.dao itsfownzleng'th'inforder. that it .wil1 exevina, constantfforce on -thbwo pants.V 4of.-theipistoning.. urging -them i-n exp-Vv postedirectonsaxially.oifthepistoni Means are provided by the inventionfior con;` necting1 the. bam `springs YMinto thevhelical springs 8... Such.v means.. compriseX .connecting blocks `I 2.A Y one', 0L which.. is.v shown in FigkA 5, and each of Whichis ormedgenerally asamectangularpanal..A ilopiped, oneside of. which, is., longer i-,hanthek other. Spaced; paraller'holes "Mare formel-loin the. longer` sideY and.,extend..thereihronghi-and a singfl..V hol [|161 sf'fllmed slort'eit. Sidefand extem'i thenethronghin al d'izection at. rightV anfgllesl'to 'that-oftle holes` Idandina position spa'cedlteraglly orn. the-.plane ofv the. axesgof. tfivtwo holes 1.21.' v One' ofthese: blocks. is., so .,pos. ionetlfat 'each'endjoi' ea'c'hilielicalA springja that tlreholescM' 't'rh'erein 'aite parallel to .the axis.r of thek spring-,'fcheflegsi 8`, jl^8"o'fi`a 'coupling fork 'beingT pa'ss'ec'l-`-"'t:i"ncough"` *thev openingsL il 4" uof one of" the. blocks;-` tlirouglji* thespringfam'jthrough 4che vholes Mfinfr-cncsecondiblocl: The spring iscompressed arrdhe--ed'sof fthelegsg hent`backpon"tl`iemf Y selves, as at 2D, thereby 'holding the parts in assembled relation and the springV 8 under com- Y pression. Bar springsv I I) are'attached` to each endof thel helical spring assembly by inserting l Y an end 9 of each bar spring into the opening I6 of th'e adjacent block I2, the complete expander ring being formed by connecting the block at eachfend of each helical spring assembly to a bar spring until a ring is formed. l

By making the side of block I2 in which the opening I6 is vformed shorter than the other side v the curved part of the bar spring between the 'Y main body thereofv and the end part 9v is accom- Y modated and a free pivoting Vaction between ad- Yjacent members of the ring and labout the axis of each end part 9 is permitted. Y

As shown Yin Fig. 4, all of th'e bar springs Io may be arranged similarly, i. eiwith all of the Y endparts 9 thereof extending in the same direchelical springassembly be oppositely disposed e f in order that the curved part of each"Y end part 9 will bel properly accommodated `within*v` the cutoutpartof each block I2. 1 n Thecoupling forkof Fig. 4V is provided withv an Y enlarged head I9 but, if desired, this may be re'- placed by a fork having straight `sides and no I Y enlarged head, as shown in Fig. 6.

.In Figs. '7, 8, 9 and 10 ofthe Ydrawings-is discloseda modified form of the invention in which the ends of each lbar spring I0 are turned at right angles to the generaljplaneof the spring instead oi fbeing Ydisposed within. such 'plane as Yin the embodiment disclosediin'Figs. l to 6, in-

clusive. In order to accommodate thismodied construction a connecting Ablock as disclosed in Figs. 9 and 10 is provided and comprises a generally rectangular parallelopiped having two spaced, parallel holes 32 therethrough'whieh'receive the legs I8 of the coupling fork, 'and having e a Ythird hole 34 extending therethrough at right angles to'and between the holes 32 and which is adapted to receive the end 30 of aV bar spring.

As shown in Fig. 8V each end part 30 extends atr right angles to the general Vplane'of the bar spring approximatelyrmidway v,between the upper andVVV lower'edges thereof and is received within the hole 34 in one of the connecting'blocks; Ythe other holes 32 therein receiving the legs I8a ofthecoll` pling forli.l Y

spring from the helical by the invention simplification of the structure of,l

the barv and helical springs, as Well as otherpartsv Y of the expander, is achieved. i While I have illustrated and described but two embodinientsY of my invention itwill be apparent to those skilled inV Y Ythe art that further'embodiments and improvementsmay be made without departing from the spirit orrscope of theinvention, *for the limits ly of the piston and bar springs Vfor exerting pressure axially of the piston and having elongated end parts, and means for connecting said helical springs and bar springs comprising a .member attached to each end of each helical spring and having an opening therethrough within which Vthe elongated end part of a bar spring is received. Y

2k. A `double-acting expander for piston rings comprising a ring formed of Valternate helical compression springs for exerting pressure radial--Y ly of the piston and barrsprings for exerting presn sure axially of the piston and having elongated end parts, and means for connecting said helical springs and bar springs comprising a'member'at eachend of each helical spring having spaced holes therethrough which are' parallel to the axis of the spring, a YU-shaped coupling fork having two legs which extending respectively through the parallel holes in said member and` the free ends of which are turned .to prevent removal of the member therefrom, said memberhaving a third holetherein extending at right angles to the parallel holestherein and withinwhich the elongated end part of ra bar spring is adapted t be received.

3.- A double-acting expander for piston vrings Y Y comprising a ring formed of alternate helical As'shown in Figs. 9 and 10 thewall of each end part of each barV spring mayV be 'grooved adjacentv YthegeXtremity thereof, as atA 35, to receive means,

such as a wire fastenen'for preventingl accidental Y Aseparation of the bar spring.A l Y Y Itfwill be seen that by thisnvention I have 3 Yprovided a simple, easily installed and easily ad Y justed meansfor coupling together the parts of a double-acting piston ringv expander and that1V compressing springs for exerting rpressure radially of the piston and bar springsv for exerting lpressure axially of the piston and having elongated end parts, and means for connecting said helical springs and bar springs Vcomprising a member at each end of each helical spring having spaced holes therethroughwhich are parallel 4. A double-acting expander for piston `ring-s comprising a ring formed of alternate helical compression springs for exerting pressure radial- Y ly of thepiston and bar springs for exerting pres# sure axially of the piston and/having elongated end parts, and means for connecting said helical springs and ybarsprings comprising a member at Y each end of each helical spring having spaced holes therethrough which are `parallel to the 4axis* of the spring, aY U-shaped coupling fork having two legs which extend respectivelyy throughthe parallel holes in said member'and the free ends Yoi? which are turned-to prevent removal of the member therefrom, said member having a third hole` therein extending at right angles' to and between the parallel holes therein and within Y which the elongated end part ofY a bar Vspring is Yadapted to be received.

' 5. A device for connecting adjacent springfde-` vices which form a double-acting expander for f Y piston rings, comprising a block inthe form of aV rectangular parallelopiped having a relatively.

long side and a relatively short side, the rela7 'tively long side having two spaced parallel holes therethrough and the relatively shortside having one hole therethrough the axis of which is at right angles to and spaced laterally from the parallel axes of the two holes through the relatively long side.

6. A device for connecting adjacent spring devices which form a double-acting expander for piston rings, comprising a block in the form of a rectangular parallelopiped having two spaced parallel holes therethrough and having a third hole therethrough which is between the rst two and is at right angles to the parallel axes thereof.

7. A spring device for a double-acting expander' for piston rings, comprising two facing S-shaped parts having integrally connected upper arms and being curved to conform to the cylindrical bottom wall of the ring groove of a piston, the lower arm of each S-shaped part being extended to provide a, linear, free-ended part extending at right angles to the lower arm in the direction of the upper arm and lying Within the curve of the S -shaped parts.

8. A spring device for a double-acting expander for piston rings, comprising two facing S-shaped parts having integrally connected upper arms and being curved to conform to the cylindrical bottom wall of the ring groove of a piston, the lower arm of each S-shaped part being extended to provide a linear, free-ended part extending at right angles to the lower arm in a direction radially inward of the curve of the S-shaped parts.

PAUL F. ZETNICK. 

